Every time James Harden returns to Oklahoma City, it’s a reminder that the Thunder gave him away too soon. Harden’s career blossomed after a trade to the Houston Rockets and he will return to his old team on Christmas Day with a group that is looking like one of the best in the NBA.
The Rockets recently had a long winning streak snapped but still have the best record in the league and will aim to pick up a solid road win. The Thunder never did win a title with the trio of Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Two are gone, but Westbrook now has some support with Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.
Things haven’t gone as smoothly as hoped early on as Oklahoma City tries to mesh, but the talent is there for a strong second half of the season. The Thunder would get a big confidence boost by winning this game at home, but it will likely enter the matchup as the underdog.
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Odds Analysis
The Rockets are 25-5 straight up and 16-13-1 against the spread on the season. They have done well on the road, covering in nine of 13 attempts. Houston has been the favorite in all but two games this season, with a 15-12-1 record in those contests.
The Thunder is 16-15 straight up but just 11-20 against the spread as expectations have been high this year after the additions of Anthony and George. Oklahoma City has done pretty well at home, covering in seven of 15 attempts. The Thunder is 2-0 against the spread as the underdog.
Key Stat
15. That’s how many games the Thunder have lost already far this season. Although it’s early, the mediocre start has some fans worried if the offseason acquisitions are going to pay off.
On paper, the additions of Anthony and George to a team that already had the reigning MVP in Westbrook should have equated to any easy answer — more wins. Instead, the three stars have had trouble adjusting to their new roles and finding a flow on the court.
The last two wins, which includes a victory over the Nuggets and a blowout against the Jazz, give reason for optimism, however, that perhaps this experiment is just going to take a little more time to see the reach the intended hypothesis. The Thunder faces a red-hot Rockets team in perfect harmony early in this one, so it’s a big test.
Player To Watch
Harden — Despite the recent loss to the Lakers on December 20th, which snapped the Rockets’ 14-game winning streak, Houston has plenty feel good about this season as they sit atop the Western Conference standings with a clear eye on another postseason run. And, just like in years past, Harden remains the driving force behind it all and the team’s top scorer.
He dropped 51 points in that loss to the Lakers, shooting 55.5 percent from the field, and is averaging 31.9 points a game on the season. Harden is maintaining that high level of production, with a lighter workload this season since the arrival of Chris Paul.
He is averaging the lowest number of minutes in his career this season while remaining one of the league’s best players. This is really good news for Houston because it means that Harden won’t be so depleted come playoff time and if the Rockets keep playing the way the are right now, they’ve got a real shot at the title this year.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Rockets could be undermanned if star point guard Chris Paul can’t play. He is dealing with a sore leg and it remains to be seen how serious it is, but he has missed some games this week.
That would be a serious loss for Houston, and could play a role in shifting the outcome. The Rockets are a great team, but this isn’t an easy matchup. Oklahoma City plays good defense, and should be able to lock down enough to pull the upset.
The Rockets are the superior squad but take Westbrook and the Thunder to come away victorious in this matchup.
NBA Odds: Thunder 117, Rockets 116
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